U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,509 discloses an automatic sewing machine which feeds the workpieces connected to one another towards the core of the reel at its upper side. The workpieces are fastened to the reel in some manner and then wound up. An orderly feeding of the workpieces connected to one another and in particular a kind of initial catching and winding of the workpieces to the reel is not provided.